QUITO, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Ecuadorian authorities on Wednesday alerted three close-by provinces of a possible eruption of the Reventador volcano west of the capital city.

The warning was issued by the country's Risks Management Ministry that said the Emergency Operation Centers of Napo, Pichincha and Sucumbios provinces had been alerted of the possible eruption.

The 3,485-meter-high volcano is regularly active and started its current eruptive activities in November 2002.

Last week, the volcano increased its eruptive activity and the ministry had to alert the close-by provinces in case the current conditions of the volcano might change.

But the ministry explained that the alert already issued did not necessarily mean there is an immediate risk for people living nearby.

The Ecuadorian Geophysics Institute has reported that Reventador's activities were measured at a level considered high, with permanent seismic signals indicating explosions while the southern side of the volcano crater could be seen as incandescent.